Annunciator



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

1-". P STEVENS. ANNUNOIATOR Patented 001;. 5,1897.

$3 WFedPSiez/m (No Model.)

' 3 SheetsSheet 2. P P. STEVENS.

ANNUNOIATOR. No. 591,179.

Patnted Oct. 5,1897.

kidl'i qsses fie fsteuelw ymSieAfiw q/s. Q 7 I I I r mus PETERS 60.,PNOTO-UTMO" WAS (No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3. P. P. STEVENS.

ANNUNGIATOR No. 591,179. Patented 0011.5,1897.

E h a Wiigzsses llNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED PARK STEVENS, OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

ANNUNClATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,179, dated October5, 1897. Application filed October 13, 1896. Serial No. 603,775. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED PARK STEVENS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Colorado Springs, in the county of El Paso and State ofColorado, have invented a new and useful Annunciator, of which thefollowing is g adjusting the parts, or for any desired purpose; toenable the indicating-plates to be shifted, interchanged, or replaced byothers at an instants notice without necessitating the manipulating offastenings of any kind, and to simplify, cheapen, and reduce the cost ofmaintaining and placing devices of this nature upon the market.

Objects other than those herein specifically referred to will suggestthemselves to those versed in the art to which the present inventionappertains as the details of the construction are disclosed. Hence for afull understanding of the merits and advantages of the inventionreference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the followingdescrip tion.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form,proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing fromthe principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof and to a fulldisclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of anannunciator embodying the principles of this invention. Fig. 2 is aperspective view showing the front open and disclosing theresettingplate and the indicating-plates carried and supported thereby.Fig. 3 is a detail view similar to Fig. 2, showing the resetting-plateopen and exposing the operating mechanism. Fig. 4: is a rear elevationof the annunciator, showing the back carrying the actuating mechanismopen. Fig. 5 is a detail View showing the relation of the back, front,re-

setting and indicating plates, and the mech anism for supporting andreleasing an indieating-plate. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are detail views of theoperating parts directlyconnected with the indicating-plates.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in the several views of the accompanyingdrawings by the same reference-characters. The case for inclosing theoperating parts consists of a front 1, having a series ofobservation-openings 2, through which the indicating-plates are viewed,a back 3, a frame 4:, hinged at one side to the front 1, and aresetting-plate 5,having a sliding hinge connection with the frame 4 andadapted to mask the actuating mechanism attached to the back 3 andcarrying and supporting the indicatingplates 6. The frame 4 ispreferably of rectangular shape and is closed at its rear side by theback 3 and at its front side by the plate 5, which latter has a limitedvertical movement between the front 1 and the frame or and itssupporting-frame 4 may be of any desired formation, and as shownconsists of cuffs 7, secured at one edge to the plate 5,

and pins or short rods 8, attached to a side of the frame 4c. The plate5 is adapted to be moved upward and is provided with a stem 9, which isattached to its lower edge and is fitted in grooves formed in theopposing faces of the lower parts of the frame 4 and front 1, and thisstem has a button 10 at its lower end to present an extended bearing forthe thumb or finger when it is required to press upon the stem formoving the plate upward. The resetting-plate has a series of verticalslots 11, which are enlarged at their upper ends, as shown at 12, thenumber of the slots corresponding with the number of observationopenings2, and these slots forming guideways for T-shaped projections 13 at theopposite ends of the indicating-plates 6. The enlarged ends 12 of theslots- 11 provide for the passage therethrough of the T-shapedprojections 13 when placing the indicatingplates in position or removingthem from the resetting-plate, thereby admitting of theindicating-plates being interchanged or replaced by others at a momentsnotice.

The indicating-plates bear numerals or other designating charactersaccording to the use and purpose for which the annunciator is'designed.The projections 13, in addition to retaining the indicating-plates inproper position with respect to the resetting-plate and acting jointlywith the slots 11 to direct E plied to the annunciator in the ordinaryway,

the said plates 6 in their vertical movements, also provide stops toengage with corresponding stops 14, whereby the indicating-plates arenormally supported and concealed from view behind the front 1 and abovethe respective observation-openings.

tion-openings 2, the attaching means being an ordinary machine-screw 16,which passes through the back and into the core of the magnet. The coreof each electromagnet projects a short distance beyond the outer orfront end of the helix and is shaped to provide a conoidal pole-piece17. A substantially V-shaped spring 18 is secured at one end to thepole-piece 17 of each electromagnet, and its free end is formed with ashoulder or stop 14 and carries an armature 19, which is adapted tocooperate with the pole-piece of the magnet to release theindicating-plate when the electromagnet is energized by completing thecircuit in which it is included. The armature 19 is frusto-conical andhas a conoidal-shaped recess at its inner face to receive the terminalof the pole-piece 17, it being understood that in assembling the partsample space is provided for the movement of the armature, so as todisengage the stop 14 from the projection of the indicating-plate,whereby the latter is liberated and permitted to fall by the action ofgravity and be viewed through the proper observation -openin'g. Oneterminal of the helices, as 20-, is electrically connected with aconducting-strip 21, affixed to the back 3, and the other terminal, as22, is in electrical connection with a contact 23, attached to aconvenient portion of the back 3, and which contacts 23 are adapted tocomplete the circuits by engagingwith corresponding contacts 24, towhich the wires 25 are attached by binding-screws in the ordinary way.The return-wire 26 makes connection with a binding-post 27, arranged toconnect electrically with the metallic strip 21 when the back 3 isclosed and the annunciator connected and in position for actual service.

Under normal conditions the indicatingplates are masked or concealedfrom view by the front 1 and are supported above the respectiveobservation-openings by the stops 14 engaging with the lower projections13 of the indicating-plates. Upon energizing an electromagnet by closingthe circuit in which it is included its armature will be attracted andwithdraw the stop 14 from engagement with the indicating-plate, whichlatter will fall under the influence of gravity and become exposedthrough the observation-openin g, thereby conveyingthe requiredinformation to the person in attendance. By moving the plate 5 upwardthe indicating plate or plates exposed will be returned to a normalposition and be supported by engaging with the stops 14, as previouslyintimated. The usual alarm, although not shown, will be apso that theperson in attendance may be apprised by an audible signal when theannunciator is operated, so as to call attention to the exposedindicating-plate.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In anannunciator, the combination of a slotted plate, an indicating-platehaving proj ections operating in the slot of the first-mentioned plate,an electromagnet having a projecting pole-piece, a stop to engage with aprojection of the indicatin -plate and hold it out of sight, and anarmature connected with the saidstop and recessed to receive thepolepiece of the electromagnet, substantially as set forth.

2. In an annunciator, the combination of a slotted resetting-plate, anindicatingplate having a projection working in the slot of theresetting-plate, an electromagnet having a projecting pole-piece ofconoidal shape, a frusto-conical armature provided with a stop to engagewith the projection of the indicating-plate to hold the latter out ofsight, and having a recess in its rear face to correspond with andnormally receive the terminal of the said pole-piece, and a springattached to the electromagnet and carrying the armature, substantiallyas set forth.

3. In an annunciator, the combination of an indicating-plate, anelectromagnet having a projecting pole-piece, an approximately V- shapedspring having one member apertured to receive the pole-piece to which itis secured, and an armature carried by the other member and adapted toengage with and hold the indicating-plate out of sight, substantially asspecified.

4. In an annunciator, the combination of a case having a series ofobservation-openings, a relatively movable frame, a series ofelectromagnets attached to the said frame, stops controlled by theelectromagnets, a relatively movable resetting-plate interposed betweenthe electromagnets and the observation-openings, and having areciprocating movement, and a series of indicating-plates attached toand carried by the resetting-plate and normally supported by theelectrically-controlled stops, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

5. In an annunciator, the combination of a case having a series ofobservation-openings in its front, a relatively movable back, a seriesof electromagnets attached to the back, a resetting-plate hinged to theback and interposed between it and the front, and hav- IIO , ries ofslots which are enlarged at a point in their length, indicating-plateshaving T projections operating in the slots of the movable plate,electromagnets secured to the said back and having projectingpole-pieces, approximately V-shaped springs secured at one end to thepole-pieces and having stops at the opposite end to engage with aprojection of the indicating-plates to support the latter out of reister with the observation-openings, and armatu'res secured to the freeends of the springs and recessed to receive the terminals of theaforesaid pole-pieces, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED PARK STEVENS.

Witnesses: i

H. HoY'r STEVENS, F. L. RoUsE.

